people who abuse liberal return policies

[sdkitty]

I do in-store pickup a lot for both Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack - the line for returns/pickups is the same in both my locations - and I’ve noticed I am more often in line behind people returning more than a dozen items than I used to be.
I was in Nordstrom Rack the other day returning a pair of boots I had purchased online and was behind a woman with two large boxes of items. A total of 36 items returned, and she was arguing that the SA needed to go through it again because she was *sure* XYZ item was in that pile. At that point, how could you even remember?!
(In the end, she conceded she must have left it at home and would be back with it.)
My biggest question is, did she keep anything at all? Was 36 items her whole order, or did she get like 60 items and keep half? Either way I felt a little better about my own shopping habits that day lol

I don't understand people like that. I try to shop carefully as I don't like to be bothered to do returns. Admittedly I recently placed an order that I knew some items might not work out. but it was maybe five items and I'll keep at least one of them. Two of them were shoes and you never know with shoes until you try them on.
I'm glad for the most part that CS is better these days but I think something like shoes that have obviously been worn the employee should be able to decline.
I recall years ago when I was young being treated rudely by some store employees. Maybe had something to do with my age or maybe just that CS wasn't what it is now.

 

[Mimmy]

Hopefully this is not too off topic but I think that some people abuse stores/companies that don’t have liberal return policies.

I have noticed on tPF that people post certain items, wear or use them one or more times and then report that they returned them. Even if they still have the receipt, this bag or clothing imo is now used.

On other threads posters will complain about getting a bag that didn’t seem “brand new”. Well, the above is why this happens. I think that once you wear a bag or clothing item out of your house you should keep it.

 

[lulilu]

Hopefully this is not too off topic but I think that some people abuse stores/companies that don’t have liberal return policies.

I have noticed on tPF that people post certain items, wear or use them one or more times and then report that they returned them. Even if they still have the receipt, this bag or clothing imo is now used.

On other threads posters will complain about getting a bag that didn’t seem “brand new”. Well, the above is why this happens. I think that once you wear a bag or clothing item out of your house you should keep it.

When people post things like that, they are typically called out on it by other members. Don't think it goes unnoticed. Same thing with someone who admits using something and talks about whether she should return it for xyz reason. Someone always points out that it would be improper as it's used.

 

[LemonDrop]

I have no issue returning things as I live in the middle of nowhere and it is 6 hours to any decent sized department store. All my shopping is online. But I don't return something that I have worn. And I cringe that recently I received an item from Nordstrom that had the temporary type sales tag on it. And on the inside care tag it had a dry-cleaning tag stapled. Gross.

 

[V0N1B2]

I heard a story on the news the other day about how a lot of retailers are ending their free return policies. Many stores are charging a fee to return an item.

“One estimate found that it costs a company 66% of the price of a product to process a return; another found that a return can cost a company $10 to $20, not including the cost of freight. Which means retailers are losing, on average, millions of dollars every year by letting you return your unwanted goods for free.”

Free returns may be a thing of the past. Here's why retailers want you to pay to return stuff you bought online — and how you can avoid getting charged.

Companies like H&M are considering charging for returns, while Zara already makes shoppers pay $3.95. Experts say this is just the beginning.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[880]

I heard a story on the news the other day about how a lot of retailers are ending their free return policies. Many stores are charging a fee to return an item.

“One estimate found that it costs a company 66% of the price of a product to process a return; another found that a return can cost a company $10 to $20, not including the cost of freight. Which means retailers are losing, on average, millions of dollars every year by letting you return your unwanted goods for free.”

Free returns may be a thing of the past. Here's why retailers want you to pay to return stuff you bought online — and how you can avoid getting charged.

Companies like H&M are considering charging for returns, while Zara already makes shoppers pay $3.95. Experts say this is just the beginning.

www.businessinsider.com

100% agree with ending free return policy.

Im not sure a fee is enough to change consumer behavior

 

[lulilu]

100% agree with ending free return policy.

Im not sure a fee is enough to change consumer behavior

They also said that return timeframes are likely to be limited as well.

 

[Love Of My Life]

100% agree with ending free return policy.

Im not sure a fee is enough to change consumer behavior

Not likely & consumers will look for free return shipping from another store/site

 

[Mrs.Z]

I think limiting return timeframes is fine but charging for returns is not. It’s not my problem the stores have barely any stock, you essentially have to order online to try anything! Perhaps stores could also focus on better photos, descriptions and more accurate measurements.

 

[880]

costs a company 66% of the price of a product to process a return; another found that a return can cost a company $10 to $20, not including the cost of freight. Which means retailers are losing, on average, millions of dollars every year by letting you return your unwanted goods for free.”

At one point consumers couldnt imagine ordering the bulk of their clothing or beauty purchases on line. It may take time, but people can change their behavior. Agree descriptions of items, photos, and sizes would need to be better as per @Mrs. Z. For example, I think shoe Insoles could be measured and comparisons to other brands made, like a brooks size 37 sneaker compared to a few other brands.

 

[lulilu]

I used to take my returns to the mall and do it in person. But since covid I have become used to ordering online and taking them to UPS etc. Amazon allows you to drop off returns at Whole Foods, which I do.

Part of my problem is the disparity in sizing of clothes and shoes. I can fit 39 in one brand and need 40 in another. Virtually impossible to buy shoes online. I just ordered a pair of pants in a color different from one I already own. The size difference was ridiculous. It has resulted in me shopping less overall because it's too frustrating. And driving to fedex etc is a PIA.

 

[Kevinaxx]

I always go back and forth between this, especially the last few months as I loaded up tons on plants/succulents/etc.

On one hand I hate paying for shipping but on the other hand I always look at the net cost, shop around, and try not to fall for the spend $x and get free shipping!

So for me, now, it doesn’t really matter. I’ll pay for shipping if I really want it, no one else is offering same but free shipping, and i know i can trust the picture and description (or it goes on the Amex guaranteed) and since I hate returning, it’s an amount that I can live with if I have to end up eating the overall cost.

There have been items where there wasn’t free shipping but shipping cost plus item was still cheaper then the place offering free shipping. No brainer there. There is also the quality… for plants anyways. Clothing just depends on the label.

I really think at the end of the day free shipping is going to still win out, especially in this economy, and cost to return will hinder the submit button *unless* the brand already has established a following, has been consistent in sizing and the trust is strong.

I would think twice about ordering from a site that charges for returns unless I was absolutely certain but that would cost them the impulse buys which made up a great deal of my closet prior to this “alright I really gotta stick to minimalism” attitude I’m on (which I now gotta apply to plants).

Which, I’m sure a lot of consumers are still open to (impulse buys).

 

[Love Of My Life]

Many of these suggestions are time consuming & the problem is that stores just don't want to
pay for the "expertise & knowledge" to do the job properly & correctly & no two people will
measure exactly the same. Measurements could come from the manufacturer (on hangtag) so the lister
can just copy that info & that might be a remedy for sizing irregularities
Shoppers who abuse policies with returns should be banned for a 3 to 6 month time frame as they
do cost the store money & tie up inventory which is not fair to the shopper who is looking for that
item.

 

[Kevinaxx]

Many of these suggestions are time consuming & the problem is that stores just don't want to
pay for the "expertise & knowledge" to do the job properly & correctly & no two people will
measure exactly the same. Measurements could come from the manufacturer (on hangtag) so the lister
can just copy that info & that might be a remedy for sizing irregularities
Shoppers who abuse policies with returns should be banned for a 3 to 6 month time frame as they
do cost the store money & tie up inventory which is not fair to the shopper who is looking for that
item.

Fwiw I’ve worked with factories in china to get them to have the color specific as well as the product measurement/assembly of. It’s very important, at least us (when I was with that company) to get the details right so when it shipped out to our customers, that they’re getting what they ordered (and in a timely manner, also worked with logistic and freight companies).

The QC imho should be there especially if you’re a large company with the $/resources.

We were just a small company but we made sure.

 

[DME]

I heard a story on the news the other day about how a lot of retailers are ending their free return policies. Many stores are charging a fee to return an item.

“One estimate found that it costs a company 66% of the price of a product to process a return; another found that a return can cost a company $10 to $20, not including the cost of freight. Which means retailers are losing, on average, millions of dollars every year by letting you return your unwanted goods for free.”

Free returns may be a thing of the past. Here's why retailers want you to pay to return stuff you bought online — and how you can avoid getting charged.

Companies like H&M are considering charging for returns, while Zara already makes shoppers pay $3.95. Experts say this is just the beginning.

www.businessinsider.com

While I’m fine with limiting return windows, I do expect them to be reasonable. For example, lululemon used to offer only a two-week window to return a full-priced item and that was too short (all sale items used to be final; more on that in a minute). When delivery windows became longer for a variety of reasons, to include the increasing use of last-mile delivery companies (slows things down), I stopped ordering online for fear of my return window running out before the item arrived. Even if my order arrived before the two weeks was up, my return window was severely shortened because the start of it went by the order date; I can’t always just dash out to the mall if I need to return or exchange a size. I suspect I wasn’t the only one and that hurt sales. It’s now 30 days and the window is extended for the holidays.

With the new, free lululemon membership, even sale items can be returned. The catch is they have to be returned to a store and you receive store credit. I’m OK with this because I shop there enough that any credit will get used. Now I would actually consider sale items online that I would have never purchased before. Even if I was familiar with the style, no two garments fit the same and it was just too much stress to worry about fit.

I do hope charging for returns doesn’t become a thing. I’m not a serial returner, but given comments that have already been noted here (lack of store availability, inconsistency in sizing/fit), it does happen since not everything I’m interested in can be found in my local stores. If it does take off, then I will either have to discover retailers/brands that don’t charge for returns, or become that minimalist I’ve always wanted to be!